Gillespies part of RSHP-competition winning team for a new business centre in Lithuania

Gillespies is thrilled to be part of a Rogers Stirk Harbour + Partners (RSHP) competition-winning team selected to deliver a new net zero operational carbon, 19,200sq m business centre within the CBD in the city of Vilnius, Lithuania.

The international competition was organised by the Lithuanian Union of Architects and Right Bank Development Fund, managed by Lords LB Asset Management.

The development will deliver around 16,000 square metres of high-quality, flexible Grade A office space over the 7-storey business centre, with 2,600 square metres allocated to ground floor public and retail uses, such as small commerce and conference facilities. The proposals also include significant improvements to the surrounding public realm in Konstitucijos Avenue.

Gillespies is designing a series of accessible and vibrant public spaces including a forested public realm setting, interior landscapes, a public roof terrace and a biodiverse roofscape that will open onto Konstitucijos prospect.

Easy access to nature and public spaces is a distinct feature of Vilnius and the design themes for the landscape have purposefully been drawn from the local context, including the site’s proximity to the river, indigenous tree species, local field patterns and the surrounding landscape, helping to give distinct character to the scheme whilst embedding it into the city.

When assessing the works of the contestants, the judges were looking for proposals that focused on improving the well-being of the people who will work in the centre, as well as the delivery of vibrant social spaces for the town. RSHP observed that the environmental drivers were central to the scheme’s success.

“When we were evaluating the competition submissions, we were looking for a design that encouraged wellbeing for the people working in the centre and to provide more public spaces for the citizens. Another crucial evaluation criterion is sustainability. The goal is to use sustainable materials during construction, to ensure minimum energy consumption and to minimize the negative impact on the environment. RSHP and the team provided a design which excelled all these criteria.” says Marius Žemaitis, fund manager of the investment management company Lords LB Asset Management.

Stephen Richards, Partner, Gillespies, says “A new square and public roof terrace aim to improve wellbeing, encourage collaboration and knowledge sharing as well as act as a social meeting place for everyone. The roof terrace will also provide a wonderful viewing platform overlooking Vilnius Old Town skyline.”

Jack Newton, Associate Partner, Rogers Stirk Harbour + Partners, says “This has been a truly collaborative approach to design. We have worked closely with the engineers and landscape architects to create a modern and environmentally conscious workspace that engages with the surrounding city, brings public space into the heart of the new workspace and creates a new location that focuses on nature and wellbeing.”

The project is targeting a WELL certification, A++ Energy Class Building and BREEAM Outstanding.

RSHP is the lead design architect, working with Gillespies and Buro Happold engineers.